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also to be appointed by the Minister, will be final. A miner

desiring to claim compensation has to transmit his claim tohis employer or last employer, together with a certificate fromone of the approved medical men, and a statement containingthe name and address of every other employer by whom theminer has, during the period of two years, been employed uponunderground work. The employer to whom the claim hasbeen so transmitted may within seven days after its receiptrequire the miner to submit to medical examination by amedical practitioner named by the employer from the list ofapproved practitioners. In the event of disagreement theminer may submit; himself to the medical referee for exami-nation. If the employer does not within the time prescribedrequire the miner to submit to medical examination, or if themedical referee decides that the miner is suffering as aforesaid,the employer to whom the claim was transmitted shall, withinone month after receipt of the claim or of the medicalreferee’s decision, pay to the miner the compensation due tohim, or if he fails so to pay he can be compelled so to do bysummary jurisdiction in the magistrates’ court. Apart fromthe very objectionable principle involved of setting up acaste of practitioners alone entitled to issue certificates, theBill is bristling with absurdities and clearly demonstratesthe need for a properly organised health department tofurnish the Minister responsible with expert advice beforehe brings in medical legislation. Miners’ phthisis is definedin the Bill as a disease of the lungs known as fibrosis orsilicosis, and apparently the compensation clauses will beoperative even if the fibrosis is due to some cause otherthan underground working conditions. The difficulty of

differentiating between fibrosis and fibrosis with superaddedtubercle in certain cases is evidently not considered of

importance, nor the fact that in many cases it is impossibleto state when the disease commenced. The principle under-lying the Bill is wrong, inasmuch as it is apparently assumedthat the condition must make its appearance within a periodof two years after exposure to underground work, and it con-sequently contemplates, as more stringent conditions are

being imposed on mine-owners and miners under the newmining law, that the liability of the State should practically i,,cease in the case of claims submitted after two years. It

might as well be argued that owing to the effect of puttingmine workings in a better sanitary state the necessity forproviding compensation at all after two years should notexist. No provision is made to enable an objection to beraised against any claim by other than the last employer, andeven the latter, as the Bill is at present worded, may becalled upon to pay more than his fair share of compensationas compared with the other employers who will be liable torefund. The Bill, when introduced, met with a hostilereception, particularly from the members of the medicalprofession in Parliament, and it is to be hoped that theGovernment will let it drop, although any well-thought-outscheme under which the workers themselves contributewould be welcomed. Apart from the objections of the pro-fession to the present Bill, it is felt that miners are an

improvident class, and that it is quite likely that most of themoneys paid out in compensation would be quickly spent incarnteens, on whippet-racing, or on the racecourse, and thatp obably it would be wiser to provide for the payment ofannuities rather than lump sums as compensation.Medioal Inspection of and Research into Diseases Prevalent in

Mines.The called for for theThe Government has now called for applications for the

post of medical inspector of mines, an appointment createdin consequence of the recommendations in the report of theTransvaal Mines Commission. A large number of applica-tions are stated to have been received. Considerable adversecomment has been occasioned by the appointment of a gentle-man who qualified in 1905. The Chamber of Mines hasrecently arranged with the Government for Dr. J. C. Mitchell,Government bacteriologist to the Transvaal, to be secondedto undertake bacteriological research into pneumonia andother diseases specially affecting mine-workers. This is quitea step in the right direction, as a large and varied field forresearch is available which has hitherto practically been leftuntouched.

Public Health Bill.

Owing to the organised opposition of the profession to theproposed Public Health Bill it is probable that this will bedropped by the Government. If it had become law the

Minister for the Interior would have taken over all the func-tions and duties of the medical officers of health of thevarious provinces, and in certain of the provinces wouldthereunder have been entitled to a seat on the medicalcouncil, besides receiving from local authorities details of allthe cases of infectious diseases notified to them by practi-tioners. This matter was referred to at length in a leadingarticle in THE LANCET of Sept. 17th, 1910, p. 897, onPublic Health Administration in British South Africa.

Immigration Bill.A very stringent Immigration Bill has been introduced

into Parliament, and by the time this appears in printmay have become law. It vests immigration officerswith the most drastic powers, and is capable of much abuse.It is primarily aimed at keeping out Asiatics without makingany definite provision in that respect, but enabling it to bedone by administrative action. Amongst other drastic pro-visions the immigration officer will be enabled to prohibitany person who cannot write any piece of dictation to thesatisfaction of the officer in any language selected by theofficer. It also provides for the prohibition of any personsuffering from an infectious or contagious disease, or

any person who is "of a low type of the human species "

(s’ia). It is hoped that the Bill will be modified so as toenable, for instance, such consumptive patients as are notlikely to become a public charge to continue to come out toSouth Africa to be benefited by its glorious health-givingclimate, but the Bill will probably be passed without verymuch modification.

Anatomy Bill.This Bill has safely passed through the Senate, and it is

hoped that it will be able to be passed through the LowerHouse before the close of the session, though owing to thecongestion of public business it is greatly feared that thismuch-desired measure may be one which will be dropped out.

Post-graduate Classes.A course of post-graduate classes has been arranged by

the medical staff of the Johannesburg Hospital, to be heldthis month. This is quite an innovation in South Africa,and the effort will doubtless be welcomed. It would bemost desirable if periodically at the larger centres a course oflectures and demonstrations such as this could be arrangedso as to enable practitioners from the country, who seldomcan visit Europe for the purpose of acquainting themselveswith modern methods, to meet those who have the advantagesof hospital practice by which they can keep in touch withany advance in the different branches of medical science.

April 10th.

AUSTRALIA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Viotorian Board of Health.Dr. B. Burnett Ham, chairman of the Board of Health, in

giving evidence before the Noxious Trades Board, stated inhis opinion that the Board’s powers were insufficient. Hehad laid down a scheme for a new Health Act, under whichVictoria would be divided into a number of districts and eachwould have a whole-time health officer. The present centralBoard is elected by groups of municipalities, but it is under-stood that the new scheme proposes a board composed ofwell-paid expert members, all of whom hall be medical men.

I/riendly Societies’ Hospital.A committee appointed in Victoria has recommended the

establishment of a metropolitan hospital consisting of 50 bedsat a capital cost of f:7185 and an annual maintenance of£3915. The proposed charge to inmates (members of friendlysocieties only) would be 10s. per week. No suggestion hasyet been made as to the medical attendance at sach aninstitution, but a conference between the committee and asubcommittee of the Council of the British Medical Associa-tion (Victoria Branch) has been arranged. At present thebest opinion regards the estimates of cost and upkeep asabsurdly low. It is improbable that any proposal for a per-manent medical staff will meet with professional approval,but it is thought that an intermediate hospital might bepossible on some such lines as is proposed.

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Prahran Poisoning Case. i

Mention was made in this column on Feb. 4th of a peculiarpoisoning case near Melbourne, in which a mother and two daughters died from symptoms thought to be due to ]ptomaines but afterwards proved to be arsenical poisoning.The third daughter, who was proved to have bought arsenic,was charged with the murder of her mother. At the trialthe jury disagreed.

’

Tuberculosis Conference.A conference of health officials from all States except

Queensland (Dr. J. S. C. Elkington being otherwise

engaged) met in Melbourne to discuss the tuberculosis

question from a practical sanitary standpoint. It was re-solved, amongst other matters, that the Health Departmentof the States should ask for legal power to enable officers tosegregate dangerous consumptives. Power to detain thesecases will be required, such power to be obtained through anorder of a court. The patients’ interests would be safe-

guarded by the right to apply for release from the segre-gation locality, an application which might be granted undercertain pathological circumstances and under conditions

regarding precautions. The conference also dealt with the

question of the prohibition of oversea consumptives land-ing in Australia. It was resolved to recommend to theCommonwealth Government an extension of the presentAct covering the examination of persons about to leavefor Australia at the port of departure, and also givingpower to keep in touch with consumptives after arrivalin Australia. Commenting on these proposals the MelbourneArgues gave expression to the following remarks: "Butsuch a segregation should be possible apart from themethod of lodging a criminal in a penitentiary. Nordoes the danger of infection from case to case call forsuch drastic proposals. At present every existing caseinfects less than one other victim. Even so minimal a

personal danger as this may be controlled by the simplestmeasures of cleanliness. It has been truly remarked thatthe public misunderstand the danger of infection in phthisis.but it may also be said that such misunderstanding is notthe fault of the public. The reality of infection has been

pushed by sanitarians to the exclusion of every other con-sideration. As a matter of fact, if compulsory segregationis to become law it would be more effective if directed

against predisposed family strains than against the actualsufferers." The last sentence will not find ready scientificendorsement.

Phenomenal Rainfall.The present summer and autumn have been very wet

throughout Australia generally. In Victoria no similarrainfall for the first three months of the year is on record.The average for six months is a little more than 12 in., andalready more than 13 in. have been recorded in less thanthree months. Typhoid fever has been much less prevalentthan usual at this period of the year, but diphtheria hasshown an increase, and sporadic outbreaks have occurred inseveral places.

-Radium.Dr. L. P. Johnston of Sydney has returned to Australia with

radium to the value of <&4000, to purchase which he made aspecial visit to the continent. The radium belongs to themanagers of the Sydney Hospital and will be used in itsservice. It is expected that Dr. Louis Wickham of Pariswill visit Sydney this year and will make some suggestions asto the best means of employing the radium clinic.April lst.

__________________

Obituary.SAMUEL KNAGGS, M.R.C.S.ENG., L.S.A.,

CONSTLTIN6 SURGEON, HUDDERSFIELD INFIRMARY.

Samuel Knaggs, whose death, at the age of 82, occurredon April 23rd, was born at Clapham, and began his pro-fessional career as an apprentice to a practitioner in

Tooting. In 1850 he received his diplomas from the RoyalCollege of Surgeons of England and the Apothecaries’ Hall,having in the meantime completed his curriculum at Guy’s.An original member of the Old Guyite Club, he was everloyal to his old hospital, and sent to it two of his sons whoentered the profession.

After qualification he was for a short time an assistant

in Huntingdon, and about 59 years ago settled inHuddersfield. For 35 years he was one of the honorarysurgeons to the Huddersfield Infirmary, and whilst for yearshe bore a lion’s share of the work in the wards, operatingtheatre, and out-patient room, he took an active part in theadministration and development of the institution. At theboard meetings his sound judgment and ripe experience werehighly valued. As a token of respect the infirmary fag washoisted half-mast when his death became known. Mr.

Knaggs had also filled the offices of Poor-law medicalofficer, surgeon to the borough police, and surgeon to theragged and industrial school. He was a past president andon the council of the Yorkshire branch of the British MedicalAssociation, and was twice president of the HuddersfieldMedical Society, of which the members, to show theiresteem for him, elected him an honorary member.

Mr. Knaggs gave up practice five years ago. Until joinedfor a short time by Mr. Lawford Knaggs, and afterwards byMr. Frank Knaggs, he had conducted alone a large practice inHuddersfield and a wide area around it. Though he nevertook part in municipal affairs he was one of the best knownmen in Huddersfield. Philanthropic and social movementsalways had his support. It is due in great measure to himthat the excellent district nursing institution was establishedon such efficient and satisfactory lines. In matters touchingthe welfare of medical men he was not infrequently themoving spirit and organiser. He had been chairmanof the West Riding Medical Charitable Society, and bothto it and the ’British Medical Benevolent Fund hewas an almost life-long subscriber. Many other societieswill miss the help his kind and generous nature gavethem. Mr. Knaggs was an independent thinker, as wasshown by his papers on sociology, on the criminalresponsibility of the insane, and the position of homceo-pathy. When he had thrown off the cares ofpractice and was almost an octogenarian he published awarning against Socialism and a volume in support of theChristian religion. As the work of one on the verge of80 years of age the latter is noteworthy. But it is more. Itgives the key to his character, to the gentle kindness, thesterling integrity, the unfailing courtesy, and the brightgeniality which marked him even in old age. Without eitherostentation or display the late Mr. Knaggs was a sincerelyreligious man.

Mr. Knaggs leaves four sons, of whom two are in themedical profession-Mr. Lawford Knaggs, professor of surgeryat the Leeds University, and Mr. Frank Knaggs, ophthalmicsurgeon to the Huddersfield Infirmary. Mrs. Knaggs pre-deceased her husband a few years ago. Mr. Knaggs wasburied at the Huddersfield cemetery on April 26th,when a representative attendance of his professional brethrenand townsmen was present to show respect to his memory.

Medical News.ROYAL COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS

OF EDINBURGH AND ROYAL FACULTY OF PHYSICIANS ANDSURGEONS OF GLASGOW.-At the recent examinations in

Glasgow the following candidates passed their respectiveexaminations :-

First Professional Examination.-Francis Halden, Robert M’Gregor,and John Walker.

Second Profess2onaL Examination.-John Francis Bourke, RolandJohn Croxford, Joseph Vincent Duffy, William Cowan Holburn,Violet Millicent Tracey, and William Neville Pennant Williams.

Third Professional Eixamination.-Chuni Lal Bhatia, Diwan JaiChand, Joseph Moses Coplans, George Agincourt Hodges, RonaLockhart, Frederick Richard Lucas, Tonur Sekharan Nair, JohnScott, Balwant Singb, and Kul Want.

Final Examination.-Alfred Benjamin Bateman, Framrozi LimjiBhajiwalla, Bhalchandra Shivram Bhandarkar, Dhunjiboy BomanjiCama, Rastamji Ratanji Dadina, David Lindsay Hutton, JamesM’Cusker, James M’Manus, George da Silva, John Arthur Smith,and Hugh Francis Williams.

CROWNHILL CONVALESCENT HOME, PLYMOUTH.-The annual meeting of the subscribers of the CrownhillConvalescent Home was held on April 27th. The medicalreport stated that 338 patients had been admitted duringthe year. The financial statement showed a deficit of &pound;26.Dr. C. A. Hingston was re-elected honorary consultingphysician, and Dr. Bertram Soltau honorary physician.